PONI ROOM: An Ode to Fish

With temperatures rising and sunrays gently caressing lightly dressed bodies, spring is everywhere you look. Just in time for floral blossoms, the new seafood and rosé-focused restaurant has arrived at NoHo. Cozy yet pretentious and chic, The Poni Room, where water and wine are served from fish jugs, gives out the perfect spring vibe we've all been craving.

Located on 316 Bowery, the latest project from AvroKO Design and AvroKO Hospitality Group, The Poni Room is below Saxon + Parole. Enter through Saxon + Parole restaurant and let one of the staff members know you are looking for The Poni Room to enter a hidden seated bar and restaurant, with a separate menu from the upstairs establishment. The Poni Room resides in a 36-seat space, the former S+P's wine cellar, with a blend of high tables and banquettes. The interior is finished in "New Yorkian izakaya" style, featuring Japanese  room dividers made from coral fabric and velvet and deconstructed archaic horse blankets on the walls. The "Beverage Room," filled to the ceiling with rose bottles, is a little landmark of the restaurant. Although guests can order drinks from their tables, indecisive ones can visit the Beverage Room to see the bottles for themselves, have a bartender make recommendations on the choice of drink and even Instagram the experience.  

The Poni Room's menu whirls around petite seafood pan-Asian plates. It is led by talented chefs from Saxon + Parole. Among the tastiest dishes are uni-topped English muffins, coconut laksa, barbecued oysters with shrimp-chili paste, lobster with pickled mango and lettuce leaves for wrapping. The restaurant also offers tuna, scallops, octopus and prawn skewers accompanied by green-tea noodles and Thai chili dipping sauce. For those who like sharing their joy, large shareable platters feature a salt crusted whole boneless dorade, whole crispy twice-cooked chicken, lobster bake, and Guinness spice braised short ribs. For sophisticated patrons, the restaurant offers an izakaya tasting menu. Despite 20 different rosés by the bottle, pitcher, or on tap, the all-purpose list includes soju, sake, beer, red and sparkling wines. Don't forget to sample the rotating boozy slushie and a signature cocktail Poni 50/50, crafted with gin, vermouth, and cucumber bitters.  

Counting time from spring to spring, we find it more cheerful to reckon the year by blossoms than by withering. With such a grand collection of rose wines, The Poni Room is an ever-spring space, and its dining experience promises to provoke blossoms daily for years to come.  

316 Bowery

New York, NY 10012

212.254.0350

theponiroom.com